MRPL plans to open 500 retail outlets by 2025

Mangaluru: The Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) is planning to expand its retail fuel outlet network in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh and has plans to open 500 retail outlets in Southern states by 2025. The company is focussing on dealer-owned-dealer-operated outlets in four South Indian states. The MRPL has a total of 47 outlets, including 30 under construction, said MRPL managing director M Venkatesh.
The work on a pilot Isobutylbenzene plant of the MRPL will be taken up within two years. Through collaborative research, the MRPL research and development has undertaken research projects with premier institutions like National chemical laboratory (NCL)-Pune, IIT-Guwahati, NITK-Surathkal, CIPET-Chennai and NMAMIT Nitte.
“MRPL had filed 18 researches for patents. Out of these, four have been approved by the Indian patent office. One of the patents is for preparation of Isobutylbenzene,” said MRPL director (refinery) Sanjay Varma. Isobutylbenzene is used in the manufacture of ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. tnn